A few weeks ago, Minnesota coach Richard Pitino shook his head, frustrated with the team's rebounding effort.
He wanted to avoid putting his players through basic box-out drills if he could, he warned, but he would do it if he had to.
On Christmas Day, Pitino implemented the drills for the first time since preseason practices.
With just one game between the Gophers and the hearty Big Ten schedule, Minnesota's biggest weakness is still rebounding, and Pitino has zoned in on that aspect in full force, even if it means reinstating menial box-out drills.
"You do that stuff in the preseason," Pitino said. "I like to do them in the preseason. But my big thing [in the regular season] is let's focus on the next opponent, let's focus on ourselves ... When you're on the court during the season, that time is valuable, you don't want to waste any time because the most important thing in my opinion is being prepared but also being well-rested.
"But we did [box out drills] yesterday, we'll continue to do a little bit today because that message is not sinking in well enough."
Pitino pointed to backup center Elliott Eliason as the only player he's pleased with when it comes to his efforts on the glass. Eliason, who is averaging 5.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in 15.2 minutes a game, is the only real natural rebounder on the team. Last season, Eliason started for most of the year and grabbed 24.7 percent of available rebounds according to kenpom.com, 39th best in the nation. This year, starting center Mo Walker has been the best defensive rebounder statistically, pulling down 22.4 percent of available boards, 97th best nationally, but is posting an average of just 5.5 rebounds a game.
The Gophers are one of just three Big Ten teams to have four guards averaging 2.8 rebounds or more, but besides Walker and Eliason, no one else on the team is grabbing more than 3.8 a game.
